Newspaper Review For Friday Oct 2nd, 2015

1. Afenifere spits fire over cattle rearing in S-West

AFENIFERE, a Pan-Yoruba Socio Political group rose from an emergency meeting in Akure, the Ondo state capital and called for the stoppage of cattle rearing activities in  South West states following the menace of Fulani herdsmen. The group said that the activities of the  herdsmen in the states have endangered the lives of the people. Spokesman of the group, Yinka Odumakin said that their activities  should be stopped in every space of Yoruba land just as he called for the arrest of those who abducted a Chieftain of the group, Chief Olu Falae. Odumakin declared that; “ In the event this call is not heeded then our people may resort to self help to protect themselves.’’

2. How Fulani herdsmen kill, rape Ogun residents, farmers

Farmers and residents of agrarian communities in some local government areas of Ogun State have some gory tales to tell on the menace of Fulani cattle rearers, otherwise known as Fulani herdsmen. So many lives have been lost while property worth millions of Naira has been destroyed allegedly by these Fulani marauders . It was gathered that, the Fulani herdsmen move with their cattle from one of these agrarian communities to the other wreaking havoc. Further findings have also shown that worse still, they do not respect the borders of the state. They did not only seek pasture they inflict deaths and mayhem.

3. Female suicide bombers hit Maiduguri

Multiple female suicide bombers, yesterday evening, sneaked into Sageri, Ajilari and other communities on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno State capital, and detonated bombs which left scores dead and many injured. Ajilari ward, which is on outskirt of Maiduguri, had two days to Sallah, witnessed a suicide bomb attack which left over 100 people dead with 97 seriously injured. The multiple explosions in Sageri and Ajilari occurred simultaneously at about 7:30p.m., after which men of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, responded with their artillery fire power.

4. Troops raid Boko Haram fuel dump

Troops have discovered and raided another Boko Haram fuel dump at Abbaganaram area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Army Spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said yesterday that the fuel dump was raided on Wednesday, following a tip-off by well- meaning citizens. Col. Usman said one person was arrested while several items were confiscated during the operation in the city. “During the operation, one person, Musa Abba, was arrested and the following items were discovered and confiscated; 11 drums of AGO and one empty drum.

5. MINISTERIAL LIST: Why Buhari holds on to 15 other nominees

There are feelers from the Presidency that the remaining 15 names of ministerial nominees will hit the Senate early next week after what sources described as ‘laborious’ security checks and vetting of the prospective nominees. The high-wire tension and expectations with which Nigerians awaited President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees have been doused with his submission of names of 21 nominees to the Senate. As of last night, the various security agencies were said to be working frantically to beat the new deadline said to have been given to them by the President.

6. We’re not doing badly at 55, says Obasanjo

Despite the country’s “mistakes and missteps,” former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigeria is not doing badly at 55 as a nation, compared to the so called settled societies or matured countries. Obasanjo who noted that 55 years in the life of a nation is still relatively young said the country has managed to be dynamic and progressive all these while.

7. Flood ravages 100 Niger villages

Over 100 villages in Niger state have been submerged in flood resulting from the release of water by three hydro- electric dams of Shiroro, Jebba and Kainji power stations. It was learnt that the flood disaster had spread over five local government areas of the state including Shiroro, Lavun, Mokwa and Lapai. The state Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Lugard Bijimi, confirmed in Minna yesterday, saying that 70 villages were affected in Lavun local government area, 10 in Lapai, 10 in Mokwa and over 20 villages in Shiroro local governments.

8. Nigeria@55: Ekiti cancels independence celebration

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State on Thursday cancelled all forms of fanfare as well as stadium parades usually held on Independence Day celebrations. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fayose in a broadcast said there was nothing to celebrate in view of the economic situation in the country. “I do not think it is proper to engage in jamboree when it is almost becoming increasingly difficult to pay workers salaries. “The current situation demands sober reflection from all and we cannot pretend about this,” Fayose said.

9. MASSOB has gone into hiding in Onitsha – Police

The Police Area Com­mander in Onitsha, Anambra State, Mr. Philip Ezekiel, an As­sistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), yesterday said that the command has finally clamped down on the members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), who have gone into hiding in the state. He said since the Com­missioner of Police in the state, Mr. Hosea Karma banned the activities of MASSOB in the state, nobody had come out to claim that he was a member of MASSOB or gather in the name of the group.

10. Vote of confidence: Another senator denies endorsing Saraki

Senator Sabo Mohammed Nakudu representing Jigawa West in the upper legislative chamber has dissociated himself from the list of 84 senators who allegedly passed a vote of confidence on the Senate President Bukola Saraki, following his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. In a handwritten statement on his official letterhead, Senator Nakudu said that his consent was never sought before being included in the list of those who voted in support of the embattled senate president.